“Soul Men” spotlights classic Bernie Mac humor

Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008

WILLIAM KERNS

Films starring Bernie Mac may have varied in quality, but “Soul Men” will make many miss his comic talent. It is a formula comedy made funny by sheer effort, by that giving of 100 percent that Mac so often mentioned in interviews.The film co-stars Mac and Samuel L. Jackson, with a supporting performance by Isaac Hayes. Jackson is the only one still with us. Mac and Hayes died one day apart from each another last August.

They both are missed.

But there’s no sense planning a pity party with “Soul Men.”

Provided one can weather the profanity — the M-F bomb is to blame for the R rating — there is more than enough to laugh at in this rhythm ‘n’ blues rip-off of Neil Simon’s 1975 “Sunshine Boys” and John Landis’ 1980 “Blues Brothers.”

The movie casts Mac and Jackson as a pair of R&B backup singers who were once part of a historic trio.

When the star went solo, the gifted backups kept the faith, touring as the Real Deal, producing one hit and later enjoying a Trivial Pursuit sort of fame as the only act to perform three times on “Soul Train.”

Then something happened and their friendship ended.

No doubt the film will offer answers later on.

Decades later, when that former lead singer dies, the record company decides to film a funeral concert at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater — and it wants the Real Deal back to perform live. Floyd Henderson, played by Mac, views it as his chance for a comeback. Louis Hinds, played by Jackson, is willing to perform only if he gets a 60-40 split of the cash.

Naturally, Hinds also refuses to fly, giving director Malcolm D. Lee an opportunity to put the feuding men in a convertible Cadillac Eldorado for the cross-country trip from Los Angeles to the Apollo.

The introduction of the Cadillac is not the only predictable moment in the picture. Too much early humor leans toward Viagra and kidney stone jokes, and any movie with Jennifer Coolidge is bound to include some raunchy humor.

It gives little away to say that a woman came between Hinds and Henderson, but Lee makes at least a few original decisions when re-introducing that woman into their conflict.

Jackson’s dramatic work is well documented. As for Mac, who started his career as a stand-up comic and later had his own television situation comedy, his throwaway “Booty Call”-type movies were nicely balanced by “Life,” the “Oceans 11” trilogy and “Bad Santa.”

The chemistry in “Soul Men,” however, is unmistakable.

Somehow still snugly fitting into those matching suits from years ago, the duo begin to remember the music, the lyrics and the stage choreography.

One of the best scenes finds them stranded on a dusty highway, slowly reacting side-by-side when they hear “I’m Your Puppet” played on the radio.

Jackson has a classy, 30-year career of memorable roles. Mac’s cinematic resume is not nearly as thick, but their characters’ moments on stage together work — and a road trip gives them time to practice every night when they stop somewhere … like Amarillo.

Lee wisely allows both men to do their own singing and, well, at least part of their dance sequences. I am not convinced that Mac and Jackson are dancing each time there is a cut-away hiding their faces.

Nevertheless, the present role makes us wish we’d seen Mac in more dramatic parts.

Even as he’s reaching for laughs with a butter-fingered approach to firearms, the actor successfully introduces an elderly character betrayed by his family, and a man not yet at peace with his regrets.

Those moments may be dominated by his Viagra-fueled erections, not to mention a boring subplot involving a disrespectful rap singer — but at least they’re there.

“Soul Men” is not Mac’s best work. And yes, critics are paying the profane comedy more attention because Mac lost his battle with pneumonia.

But that’s OK. One doesn’t have to stay and watch the interview with Mac over the closing credits to understand how hard the man worked to find the humor in every role.

The story will make audiences cringe at times, but Bernie Mac also will make you laugh. This soul man had soul. He had heart. And, to the end, he was funny when he wanted to be.

Film credits: Screenplay by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone. Original music by Stanley Clarke. Cinematography by Matthew F. Leonetti. Edited by William Henry and Paul Millspaugh. Production design by Richard Hoover. Costume design by Danielle Hollowell. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee.